Cabinet.



UNITED STATES PATENT ROBERT J. BUCHANAN, OF PITTISBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

CABINET.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 668,748, dated February 26, 190.1.

Application filed October l5, 1900. Serial No. 33,057. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Beit known that I, ROBERT J. BUCHANAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Pittsburg, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invent-ed certain new and useful Improvements in Cabinets, of which the following is a specification.

One object of my invention is to provide an improved cabinet for containing and exhibiting articles of various kinds. Such a cabinet should be so arranged as to hold the articles symmetrically and display them most pleasingly and, further, should occupy as little space as possible when not in use.

The special object of my invention is to provide a cabin et possessing these characteristics for containing and displaying paint-brushes or such like articles, though I do not wish to confine myself to a cabinet specially constructed or adapted for containing paintbrushes.

In carrying out my invention I divide the cabinet into sections, whichI hinge together, so that they may be folded to occupy a small space when not in use or distended when desired to display the articles which the cabinet contains. The sections are hinged together in somewhat the same way Ain which the sections of a screen are hinged, and each section is so arranged as to exhibit articles on opposite sides thereof, while the end sections are provided with glass doors for closing the end compartments when the cabinet is folded and not in use. The hinges may be of such kind that the sections of the cabinet may be separated if desired, and the cabinet-sections may be arranged like the interior of sampletrunks. I

The sections of the cabinet are preferably mounted on pedestals, and these pedestals are so arranged as to be folded with the cabinet-sections, the whole cabinet thus occupying a small space when not in use for exhibiting the articles. Pedestals need not necessarily be used, but when used they are mounted on casters or rollers, so that they may be moved in any desired direction, and the pedestals are braced and ornamented, so as to be strong and to present apleasing appearance.

A further description of rthe general arrangement of the cabinet and the details of construction will be given hereinafter, and

the subject-matter deemed novel will be set forth in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a front elevation of myim proved display-cabinet with the sec-tions distended. Fig. 2 is a Vplan View, partly broken away, of the cabinet with the sections distended, as in Fig. 1. A

Fig. 3 shows an end elevation of the cabinet as it appears when closed. Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the closed cabinet. Fig. 5 is a detail view, on an enlarged scale, in section, on

the line 5 5 of Figs. 3 and 4, showing more clearly certain details of construction.

The cabinetis divided into several sections, preferably ve sections, as indicated in the drawings. Each one of these sections comprises a rectangular frame A, consisting of two vertical sides a and twohorizontal ends a', connecting the sides. made of any desired dimensions. It is divided into tWo compartments Xand Y, as indicated in Fig. 2, by a partition B, preferably centrally arranged in the three central sections to provide compartments of equal area on opposite sides of each section. The partition B may be secured to the frame in any suitable way. I preferably employ beading b, as it appears in Fig. 5, for strengthening the joints. The two end sections of the cabinet have frames A, similar to those just described; but the partition B of each end section is preferably not arranged centrally,and therefore the compartments on opposite sides of the partition are of unequal areas. The outer compartment of each end section is closed by a glass door C,which is hinged to the compartment, as indicated,and it may be provided With a catch or lock D, if desired. The hinges are so located that the sections may be folded together like a screen, as indicated in Fig. 4. Each section is mounted on a pedestal D, which holds it at an elevation so that the articles contained may be most conveniently viewed or readily inserted or withdrawn. Preferably each pedestal consists of an upright or standard d, secured to the bottom cross-piece a of each section and attached at its lower end to a base d', on the under side of which are secured casters or rollers d2.

In order to strengthen the connection between the standard d and the base d', I employ braces d3, which are preferably ornamental in appearance. Similar braces d4 are employed for strengthening the connection between the upper end of the standard and the bottom piece a of the frame. The base of each end pedestal is preferably enlarged, as shown at d5, and an additional brace (ZG is employed for strengthening the connection between the base and the standard. The base-pieces of the standards of the three central sections are of the samedirnensions and of approximately the same widths as the bottoln pieces ct of the frames, so that when the cabinet is folded the pedestals, as well as the frames, lie closely and compactly together. It may be desirable to secure the sections of the cabinet together after they are folded, and for this purpose anysuitable locking device may be employed.

' In Fig. 4 I have shown one device whichis simple and yet efficient. It consists of a bar E, hinged at e to one of the end sections of the cabinet and having at its opposite end a slot or recess e', adapted to tit over the shank of a set-screw F, provided with a headf. When the set-screw is loose, the recessed bar may be made to engage the shank of the screw. By tightening the screw the bar may be locked and the sections held rmly together. Such a bai maybe used ou opposite ends of the cabinet and two or more bars may be used on each side, if desired.

The compartments of the cabinet may be provided with any suitable means for holding the articles which they contain. I have merely indicated in Fig. l a hook, such as would be a suitable device for supporting various articles. Any number of hooks or similar supporting devices may be used, and they may be disposed in such a manner as to most conveniently and artistically display the articles. I have not shown any specially-constructed supporting devices, as I do not wish to be limited in this respect. It will be observed that the sections of the cabinet are so constructed as to provide compartments on opposite sides.

The cabinet may be moved out into the center of a room, and the opposite sides may be viewed by walking around it. When folded the cabinet occupies but a small space and can be readily removed to an obscure corner, if desired. It may, on the other hand, be

easily moved from place to place and opened in such manner and to such extent as to eX- hibit the articles in the most pleasing or convenient way. The rollers or casters should be of the best antifriction type to provide for the convenient handling of the cabinet. The frames and pedestals should be constructed substantially and may be braced and reinforced at such points as may be desired.

I claim as my inventionl. A display-cabinet, comprising a series of frames each of which is provided with a partition forming two compartments in each frame, a separate pedestal foreach frame provided with a base-piece of substantially the same width as the frame and braced at top and bottom, and hinge connections between the several sections of the cabinet arranged to turn in opposite directions whereby the sections ofthe cabinet and the base-pieces of the pedestals may be folded to lie close together, and the adjacent compartments in the several sections may be closed in the act of folding the sections.

2. A display-cabinet, comprising a series of sections hinged together, each of said sections comprising a frame divided by partitions into two compartments, hinge connections between the several sections arranged to turn in opposite directions whereby the sections may be folded to lie close together and close all the compartments contained between the end sections and a door for the outer compartment of each end section, which is presented to the outside when the cabinet is folded.

3. A display-cabinet comprising a series of sections hinged together, each of said sections comprising a frame divided by a partition to form two compartments, a door for each end compartment, a pedestal for each section of the cabinet, the central pedestals having bases which fold with the sections and lie close together when folded, and the outer sections of the cabinet having pedestals with enlarged bases, the several pedestals being provided with braces to strengthen the connections between the bases and the frames of the several sections.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name.

ROBERT J. BUCHANAN.

Witnesses:

C. M: LEMMON, WILLIAM .R. EVA.

IOO 

